Multiple submarine-destroyer.



- 1 I 5W3 ,I'

J. M. SALADINER.

MULTIPLE SUBMARINE DESTROYER.

APPLICATION FILED (HIT-M1917. 1,295,213. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET1- J. M. SALADINER.

MULTIPLE SUBMARINE DESTROYER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, 1911.

1,295,213. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

efjZadz'g/ J. M. SALADINER.

MULTIPLE SUBMARINE DESTROYER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. 1917. 1,295,21 3. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

dtiozuca o JOSEPH M. SALADINEB, or BRYAN, TEXAS.

MULTIPLE SUBMARINE-D EST ROYEB;

Specification of Lettersfatent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.-

Application filed October 1, 1917. Serial No. 194,257. a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, J osErH M. SALADINER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bryan, in the county of Brazos and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Multiple Submarine-Destroyer, of which the following is a specification.

' The present invention apperta-ins to means for destroying submarine vessels, and

aims to provide a novel and improved contrivanoe for efl'ectively destroying or disabling submarines.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a submarine destroyer of novel construction having bombs arranged to ex- .plode in succession at different depths in the water, so as to be efi'ective agamst sub-' marines at any permissible depth.

Another object of the inventlon is the provision of bombs, which when exploded, will scatter secondary bombs in all directions to explode at predetermined distances from the main explosion, in order to increase the range of destruction, so that if the main explosion is not efiective, the secondary explosions in reaching near the submarine vessel will be effective. Thus, the main bombs not only explode at difl'erent depths, but will scatter a large number of secondary bombs at the different depths and in-various directions, so that the destroyer in being shot or dropped into the water at a point anywhere near the submarine, wlll result in the disablement or destruction thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a contrivance of the nature indicated which should it accidentally strike the submarine vessel, will causeall of the.

main bombs to explode simultaneously.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of novel means for assembling the main bombs so that they can be shot from a suitable gun or dropped from an airship, as a unit, and in order that the suc- 1 view, which will appear as the description cessl've bombs will explode at the desired depths in the water.

With the foregoing and other objects in proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention hereindisclosed can be made wlthin the scope of what is claimed without departing. from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

F gure 1 is an elevation of the destroyer. Fig. 2 is a reduced elevation thereof showing the main bombs dropped in the water from the boat.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, portions being shown in elevation.

Fig. L is an enlarged cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5. is an enlarged sectional detail showing the cap for one of the simultaneous explosion tubes.

Fig. 6 is a diagra'mmatical view showing the destroyer striking the water when shot from a gun.

Fig. 7 is a diagramm atical view showing the destroyen in an upright positionafter striking the water.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatical view showing the bombs dropped in the water, with the upper bomb exploding.

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the secondary bombs of the first main bomb scattered and the second bomb at a lower depth in the act of exploding.

The structure inclu es three superposed main bombs 1, 2and 3, althou h any suitable numberthereof can be use to explode at the desired depths in the water. Each of these bombs is of the general construction disclosed inv my application for patent on Serial No. 194,256. The bombs each have. a frangible casing 4 of cylindrical form with conical or tapered ends, and a plurality of secondarybombs are disposed within the casing 4: with their outer ends fitting in recesses inthe interior surface of said casing, the bombs 5 having time fusesfi ignited by said bars.

the'end thrust, in .sive strength of said bars,

bombs 5 and ignite the fuses 6, so that the secondary bombs after being scattered to a predetermined distance from the point of the main explosion, will in turn explode. Each casing 4 has a suitable filling plug 8.

The main bombs are held together by a frame comprising the tubular or hollow nose 9, longitudinal side bars 10 united at their forward ends with the nose 9, and aisleeve 11 secured upon therear or upper ends of This frame is of tubular skeleton form and has the main bombs fitted therein, the casings 4 of said bombs being prov ded with longitudinal grooves 12 in their peripheries fitting and receii'ing the bars 10. The bars 10 increase in' thickness fromtheir' rear .or upper ends to their forward or lower ends, whereby said bars, which are frangible willbreak more readily at their rear ends. These bars are secured by means of screws 13 or other securing elements to the casings 4. It is preferable to fasten each bar to the bomb 1 with a single screw, to the second bomb 2 with two screws, and to the third. bomb 3 with three screws,

thus increasing the strength of the securing means for the successive bombs. The bars 10 are preferably provided with weakened portions 14 adjacent to the bombs 2 and 3, whereby the bars will break at these points, and said bars have abutments 15 bearing against the rear ends of the bombs 2 and 3, whereby to take addition to the compreswhen the destroyer is shot from a gun. The sleeve 11 has an inturned flange 16 above or behind the bomb 1. r

In order to explode the bomb 1 after it has sunk to a desired depth in the water, there is provided a float 17 of any suitable buoyant material fitted slightly within the rear end of the sleeve 11 tobe frictionally held in place, and a plate 17 is preferably fitted against the float 17 to'receive the impact due to the shock of discharge when the device is shot from a gun. Aprimer 18 of any suitable character is carried by the rear or base end of the casing 4, and has connected thereto a wire 19 or other flexible element, which is also connected to the float 17. The flexible element. 19 is of suitable length whereby after thebombs sink in the water to a predetermined depth, the float 17 remaining at the surface, being pulled from the the flexible element 19 will become taut, and the gravitation of the bombs will therefore create a pull on the flexible element 19, which will cause the primer 18 to function and ignite the main charge of the bomb 1.

The second bomb 2 is exploded after it has number of seconds,

the charge 7 of the second bomb 2, causall three of them will sleeve 11 by its buoyancy,

ward or lower end of the casing 4 of the bomb 1, providing a snug fitbetween said casings. A :fuse 22 of any sultable character extends through. the boss 20. This fuse may be such as to be set off by the explosion of the main charge of the bomb 1, whereby after the elapse of a predetermined the fuse 22 will ignite ing said second bomb to explode at the desired depth. v

A similar connection between the second and third bombs is provided, the upper or rear end of the casing 4 of the bomb 3 having a boss 23 upon which is fitted a tubular extension 24 at the forward or lower end of the casing 4 of the second bomb, a fuse 25, similar to'the fuse 22 extending through the boss 23, to ignite the main charge of the bomb 3 after it has moved downwardly to a still greater depth. In order to set off all the bombs, 7, 2 and 3, should the device accidentally strike a submarine or other object, the bomb 3, which is foremost, is provided with a suitable number of primers 26 adapted to be set off by forwardly or downwardly projecting plungers 27 ,slidable through the wall of the nose 9 and projecting from the forward or lower end of said nose. Thus, should one of the plungers 27 strike a submarine or other object, it will be stopped in .its movement, and the further movement of the remainder of the structure will cause the corresponding primer 27'to ignite the charge 7 of the bomb 3. The explosion of the .bomb' 3 also results in the simultaneous explosion of the bombs 1 said tubes containing a quick burning powder, if desired, to carry the explosion into the first and second bombs, whereby explode at once. Caps 30 are fitted on the rear or upper ends of the tubes 28 whereby when the bombs 1 and 2 explode in succession at the different depths in the water, the caps 30 will prevent the explosion of the bomb 1 setting ofi the bomb 2' or 3 or the explosion of the bomb 2. setting off the bomb 3, although said caps 30 will be blown off when the explosion extends rearwardly .or upwardly from the bomb 3. i

In practice, the device can either be shot from a gun, or dropped from an airship, being directed toward any enemy submarine which has been sighted, or toward a point where the submarine was last seen. If the device is shot from a gun, it is prevented from ricocheting or skipping on the water, since the tubular nose 9 in striking the water, as seen in Fig. 6,'with the device moving in the direction of the arrow 40, will deflect the nose under the water, the lowermost part of the nose cutting into the water. The momentum of the rear end or base of the device will tilt it upwardly, in the direction of the arrow 41, therefore bringing the device into an upright position in the water,

'as seen in Fig. 7. The bombs and their containing frame being heavier than water, will sink therein, leaving the float 17 at the surface, and when the bombs reach a certain depth in the water, determined by the length of the flexible element 19, the first bomb will be exploded. This flexible element 19 is ordinarily wound up and confined between the float 17 and flange 16, and will be drawn downwardly with the bomb 1 until said flexible element is taut, thus causing the primer 18 to set off the charge of the bomb 1. Said bomb will, therefore, explode, as seen in Fig. 3, breaking the sleeve 11 and casing 4 in fragments, and also breaking out the bars 10 above the bomb 2, the remaining portions of the bars 10 holding the bombs 2 and 3 intact so that they will gravitate farther in the water. The explosion of the bomb 1 will scatter the secondary bombs 5 thereof in all directions, as seen in Fig. 9, and said bombs 5 will in turn explode after having been scattered to a certain distance from the point of the main explosion. Therefore, if the submarine is at a depth near that at which the bomb 1 explodes, the explosion of said bomb or one or more of the bombs 5 near the submarine, will put it out of commission. However, if the submarine is at lower depth, near that at which the bomb 2 explodes, due to the fuse 22, the explosion of the bomb 2 or its scattered secondary bombs 5 will destroy the vessel. When the'bomb 2 explodes, the bars 10 are broken off above the bomb 3, as seen in Fig. 9, and the bomb 3 will drop .down farther vand explode at a greater depth, scattering its secondary bombs 5. In this way, the main bombs are set off in succession at predetermined depths, to get within range of the submarine at any practical depth thereof, and each 'main bomb in'exploding will scatter secondary bombs to be effective if the main bombs are not. Repeated explosions are thus produced at the different depths in the water.

As above indicated, should the device accidentally strike the vessel either at the surface or below, the three main bombs are set ofl" simultaneously to assure of the destruction of the vessel. 9

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A submarine destroyer including connected superposed bombs, a float at one end of and normally contactin with the upper bomb and separable there rom by flotation, a flexible element constituting the sole connection between the float and upper bomb, means operated by said connection during the gravitation of the bombs relative to the float for exploding the upper bomb at a predetermined depth and releasing the other bombs from the exploded bomb, and means for successively exploding the released bombs at different depths respectively.

2. A submarine destroyer including connected superposed bombs, a float at one end of and normally contacting with the upper bomb and separable therefrom by flotation, a flexible element constituting the 'sole connection between the float and the upper bomb, means operated by said connection during the gravitation of the bombs relative to the float for exploding the upper bomb at a predetermined depth and releasi the other bomb from the exploded bomb, and means for exploding the released bomb while at a lower depth.

3. A submarine destroyer including connected superposed bombs, a float at one end of and normally contacting withthe upper bomb and separable therefrom by flotation, a flexible element constituting the sole connection between the float and the upper bomb, means operated by said connection during the gravitation of the bombs relative to the'float' for exploding the upper bomb at a predetermined depth and releasing the other bomb from the exploded bomb, means for exploding the released bomb while at a lower depth, and plungers within and pro jecting beyond the lower bomb for exploding both bombs prior to their separation upon striking an obstruction.

4. A submarine destroyer embodying a series of bombs, a frangible frame for holding them together, means for exploding the bombs in succession from the rearmost one forward at different depths in the water, means for exploding the foremost bomb by striking an object, tubes extending fromthe foremost bomb rearwardly into the others to explode them simultaneously with the foremost bomb, and caps on said tubes for preventing the explosions extending forwardly in said tubes.

5. The combination with afrangible frame including a tubular nose and weak ened bars extending from one end of the "nose of alinin bombs secured to said bars said bombs having conical ends coming .together at their apexes, a float normally contacting with one of the bombs and separable therefrom by flotation, means operated by the falling of the frame and bombs relative v to the float for exploding one 'of the bombs and fracturing the adjacent portion of the frame, thereby to, release the other bomb,

and means for exploding the released bomb 10 at a lower depth.

Intestim-ony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature inthe presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH M. SALADINER.

Witnesses: a

S. M. HUNTER, R. Q. AsTIN. 

